What do pitching and real estate have in common? To be successful in each, it mostly depends on the same thing: location, location, location. For Bowie Baysox right-hander David Hernandez, that axiom couldn't be more appropriate.
Already equipped with an arsenal that includes a two- and four-seam fastball, slider and a major-league changeup, the 23-year-old has taken his game to another level this season by focusing more on the location of his pitches, beginning with his fastball.
"He's shown great command lately," Baysox pitching coach Mike Griffin said. "He's been working on using both sides of the plate and has gotten a lot of swings and misses on his fastball this year."
Those swings and misses have translated to 145 strikeouts this season, good enough to lead the Eastern League. Hernandez, who struck out eight en route to his seventh win Friday, has been especially difficult to hit lately, posting a 1.62 ERA in his past 10 starts.
According to Griffin, Hernandez (7-4) has shown a great deal of maturity on the mound for the Baysox, allowing him to be more consistent with each of his pitches. That, in turn, has led to his ability to get a strikeout when needed in order to avoid a big inning.
In a recent start against Altoona, Hernandez had men on first and third bases with one out in the second inning but struck out the next two batters to end the threat. After surrendering a run in the third, Hernandez found himself in trouble again in the fourth, with runners on first and second and nobody out. He retired the next three batters. On July 2 against Harrisburg, Hernandez walked three and gave up four hits but did not allow a run in 6 1/3 innings. It is these types of performances, Griffin said, that build the mental toughness required to be successful at the major league level, an outcome he believes is in Hernandez's future.
The pitcher also has benefited from being in a rotation that features fellow Eastern League All Stars Brad Bergesen and Jason Berkin. Griffin said the trio has been feeding off each others' performances on the mound all year, motivating Hernandez to put in extra work between starts, another key to long-term success.
"His work ethic has been off the charts [this season]," Griffin said.
Triple-A Norfolk
